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Has anyone had any other martial arts experience (training) besides aikido?

My opinion is that studying other MA training would help most people. They would better understand and appreciate what other MAs have to offer.

Years ago I studied Kyokushinkai Karate, which was quite, let's say, rough. It was the style founded by Masutatsu Oyama (the guy who used to chop off bull's horns with his bare hands - 52 in all - and was famous for the One Hundred Man Kumite or the "Supreme Test of the Spirit of Osu"). It got too rough for me and I changed styles.

Yes Jim, I studied Shaolin Kung Fu and Yang Style Tai Chi Ch'uan for 3 years before beginning my aikido Journey. And Yes, I have found it to be quite helpful in some aspects, however, I do find that sometimes when practicing a technique, my muscle memory still comes back to haunt me so to speak. Although Kung Fu chin na techniques can be quite similar to some of the pins and locks we use and the idea of moving from your center or "Dan Tien" as we called it in Tai Chi is applicable to both Tai Chi and Aikido.

Kenn

Kenn

Remember, the only way to be happy always, is to be happy always, without reason.

Yes, I've studied other Martial Arts. I began with Wing Chun Kung Fu while in college, studied that for a few years until I transferred to a different college. I was fortunate to study with an international student from China who was also an engineering student. When I transferred to a new college, there were no Wing Chun schools in the area, so my Martial Arts training was put on hold.

After I saved up some money and was able to get a car, I started to look for a Kendo school (always wanted to learn a sword art). The closest one was over 50 miles and the commute (due to the roads) would have taken over an hour and a half. I started to look at other options.

I visited a local Aikido dojo (mainly because they also taught Iaido, another sword art) and became interested in learning the art. That was many years ago. The Aikido dojo I trained at also had classes in Chong Shin Kwan (True Mind / Spirit) Tae Kwon Do. Chong Shin used the kicking techniques of Tae Kwon Do and combined them with the punching and blocking techniques of traditional Shito Ryu Karate. It was a pretty good blend, very well balanced.

I began to take those classes as well, but since my feet work best when on the ground, I decided that the high flying kicking stuff was not for me. The philosophy of Aikido suits me well, and the techniques work best for me.

I also stuided TaeKwon-do and found it to be excellent training. Karate also. I'm past that stage now - not as young and tough as I once was. In my younger days (not too long ago), I could have taken on Buffty! My son's dream.

It is very very helpfull to train in other arts. Im lucky as every month we have something called a ''masters day'' when loads of diffrent martial arts get together at diffrent venues (ive mentioned these before), we learn from each other, spar against each and trying out the other styles tecniques.

I was heavily in to judo,travelling all over england for competion etc etc. When I was younger I was made to go to kendo classes to accompany my older brother for a few years. My main thing is AIKIDO ,yet the shihan of our club when he was alive , was also a 6th dan in datio ryu, so we did alot of training on sundays in that. Most local MA clubs know me, as I like to be a
''wandering jedi'' gaining knowledge from people... ha ha. At the moment Im looking for ground work stuff, today
im training with an organisation called
Tajuka, its sort of a shootfighting club mainly concentrating on ground work.

I started in Aikido, but trained in other martial arts (Karate, Tang Soo Do, Judo, Ikebana) to become more rounded and better at doing strong attacks. This is very important to me and I am now introducing more strikes/kicks etc at the beginning of the class so that people can still use these, and so realistic attacks.

I think many martial arts are very similar at higher levels; there are only so many ways to manipulate you and your opponents body - though there have a different emphasis.

I totally agree with mixing martial arts and having mixed martial arts training events. It not only gives you a bigger repertoire, but makes you realise the range of potential attacks and also that a good attacker does not leave himself as open as an uke in aikido may.

Also, in real situations you don't remember specific techniques; you should forget everything you have learnt and use your instinctive reaction to the event - the more things your body can do the more likely you can deal with unusual situations.

Before I started aikido, I had done wado-ryo karate for three years. Now I do silat and have just started judo.
Through all this I still prefer aikido, it feels so much more natural. Experience of a striking art was an advantage at first just in terms of awareness, but it was difficult to learn with an open mind. Plus all those isometric excercises I used to do made my joints really stiff and it was a painful first few months.

i started in something else too, considering it was college and there was so many to choosed from, I did Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Kung Fu, Hapkido, Judo, Kendo before finally settling in on Aikido. It was the best fit. And I loved it. I still don't consider myself well versed in any of the aforementioned save Judo. Although I always doubt when I ask people what they train in, and the name like 6 disparate styles. where do they find the time?? with aikido I barely have time to fully explore one!!

ian wrote:I started in Aikido, but trained in other martial arts (Karate, Tang Soo Do, Judo, Ikebana) to become more rounded and better at doing strong attacks. This is very important to me and I am now introducing more strikes/kicks etc at the beginning of the class so that people can still use these, and so realistic attacks.
Ian

Hmmm..Intresting..
I never knew that Ikebana, which is the art of Japanese Flower arranging, was considered a Martial art. I know that the Samurai included this in the Budo way, to develop internally, but somehow that way you made it sound place visions of flowers being flung at the opponent with deadly accuracy.
-Tomu

-When two blades cross points,
There's no need to withdraw.
The master swordsman
Is like the lotus blooming in the fire.
Such a person has inside of them
A heaven soaring spirit.
- Tozan Ryokan
4th verse on the 5 ranks